Puckleberry
by TJ6
Summary: My own version of the iPod Shuffle. A series of Puckleberry one and two shots.
1. Unapologize

_Alright friends, first of all I want you to know that I'm still working on Like Always but this idea just kept tugging at me. I love Carrie Underwood and I got her new CD for Christmas and listening to it it got me thinking how many of her songs fit Rachel and Puck (or could be changed to fit them). And thus my own twisted version of the iPod Shuffle challenge was born. So here it is a series of Puckleberry one (or maybe two) shots set to Carrie Underwood songs. Hope you enjoy!_

_And as usual I don't own Glee... But if I did... ;)_

**UNAPOLOGIZE**

Rachel couldn't look him in the eye. She'd walked into glee with her head down and completely bypassed her usual seat, right next to him. She couldn't be near him while flashes of last night kept going through her mind.

She didn't pay attention for most of glee, which had everyone worried. But as soon as Mr. Schuester asked if anyone had been working on anything new her head snapped up and she had the old 'Rachel Berry' look on her face. "I have something I'd like to sing."

"Alright Rachel." Mr. Schue nodded "Why don't you come on up?"

Rachel slowly made her way to the front of the choir room and shook her head at the band as they looked at her for direction. "Can I just use your guitar?"

The jazz band's guitarist silently handed her his guitar. "Thanks." She all but whispered, giving him a small smile. The tall, gangly boy smiled back and headed back to his seat. The brunette strummed a few chords on the guitar before closing her eyes and relived the memories of the night before.

* * *

_Rachel ran her fingers through her hair as she surveyed herself in the mirror. She needed to look perfect. Tonight was her and Noah's 6 month anniversary and he was taking her out. He hadn't told her much, only to 'dress nice', whatever that meant. She frowned at her reflection- boys sucked, they had no idea what it took for a girl to get ready for a date… and with 'dress nice' as her only clue she had gone through 6 different outfits- this one better work. He was due to pick her up in 5 minutes._

_Shaking herself out of her thoughts she looked in the mirror again, she gathered her long hair into a ponytail and cocked her head to the side. She pursed her lips and let the loose waves fall back down around her shoulders. Down. Definitely down._

_She cursed when the doorbell rang. It would have to do. She grabbed her purse and the white cardigan she'd thrown onto her bed earlier and ran out of her room. She practically flew down the stairs and was at the front door before her dad could finish yelling that Noah was there._

"_Hi." She said breathlessly, looking up at her boyfriend._

_He smirked at her. "Hey Rach, you ready to go?"_

_She nodded. "Yeah." She leaned over and kissed her dad's cheek. "Bye daddy."_

"_Bye pumpkin. Noah, don't forget her curfew."_

"_No problem, Mr. B."_

"_Have a good time!"_

_Rachel smiled as her dad waved spastically from the front door- he was such a geek sometimes. Noah laughed at the half amused half embarrassed look on her face and wordlessly helped her into his truck._

_She smoothed down the skirt of her red sundress and nervously ran her fingers through her hair again as Noah made his way around the front of the vehicle. He shook his head as he got into the driver's side, watching her repeat her nervous habits. Shooting a glance towards the house he was relieved to see her dad had gone back inside. Then he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, and pulling her closer he gave her a proper hello._

_Rachel melted into the kiss. He brushed her jaw line gently with the thumb of the hand cupping her chin and ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. Rachel sighed and allowed him to deepen the kiss. He broke the kiss a moment later and gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Hi."_

_She could only blink at him as he smiled at her. Actually smiled, not smirked or grinned or leered, but smiled. His genuine smile always took her breath away. "Hi."_

_Puck grinned to himself as he started the truck. He loved that he could do that to her… He was the only person he knew that could render her speechless. "So where are we going?"_

_He looked over at her and grinned wider "It's a surprise, Rachel."_

"_But-"_

"_No buts. A surprise means you don't know 'til we get there."_

_Rachel sighed in frustration- he wasn't going to budge. "At least tell me if I'm dressed appropriately."_

"_You look hot, Rach."_

_The brunette frowned at him. "That doesn't answer the question as to whether I'm dressed appropriately Noah."_

_This time it was the jock who sighed. "Just take the compliment."_

_Rachel crossed her arms over her chest and slumped back into her seat in annoyance. "Thank you." She said frostily._

_Puck shook his head and turned on the radio. "You can choose the station."_

_Rachel looked up at him, "Really?" Puck never let anybody touch the radio. He nodded. She beamed at him and went to work picking the perfect music._

_He took her on a picnic. It was perfect and beautiful, with candles and flowers and music. The food was by no means gourmet, but that was because he'd cooked it himself- which in her opinion made it taste better. She almost cried at how sweet he was being._

_When they finished eating he stowed the picnic gear in the bed of his truck, gathered her into his arms and began to dance with her. She closed her eyes and resting her head against his chest she listened to his heartbeat. "Rach."_

_At the sound of her name Rachel looked up at him. Puck leaned down and kissed her gently. "Happy anniversary."_

_Rachel closed her eyes and pressed herself closer to him. Then she opened her mouth and ruined everything. "I love you."_

_As soon as the words passed her lips he froze. They both stood stock still, every one of Puck's muscles clenched as he stood stiffly in her arms. "Rachel-"_

"_I'm sorry!" She said quickly, cutting him off. "I didn't mean… I meant to say happy anniversary. I don't- I mean I didn't- Just forget I said anything. I'm sorry."_

_The ride home was tense and quiet. Not even the music coming from the stereo could take Rachel's mind off the mess she'd made of things._

_Puck pulled into Rachel's driveway and shifted the truck into park, but he didn't turn it off. "Rachel…"_

_The brunette undid her seatbelt quickly and opened the door. "Thank you for a wonderful evening, Noah. I- I'm sorry." She slammed the door shut and didn't look back as she hurried into the house._

* * *

Rachel took a deep breath and strummed a few more chords on the guitar before opening her eyes and looking directly at Puck.

_Last night I was pouring out my heart like a waterfall to you_

_And with one kiss I was a runaway train_

_Flying off the track to you_

_"I love you" came flooding out_

_Couldn't make it stop_

_Couldn't shut my mouth_

_I felt like a fool, then I lied and said I was sorry, but_

_I unapologize_

_I meant every word_

_Won't take back the way I feel about you_

_I can't unsay what you heard_

_'Cause you heard me right_

_And I won't try to fight 'em back, or hide my feelings for you_

_I unapologize._

_You know people say a lot of things that they don't really mean._

_And last night I told a little white lie_

_Hoping you'd forget the scene_

_We're feeling like a movie under that porch light_

_Couldn't help myself when you held me tight_

_I said what I meant, then I lied and said I was sorry_

_I unapologize_

_I meant every word_

_Won't take back the way I feel about you_

_I can't unsay what you heard_

_'Cause you heard me right_

_And I won't try to fight 'em back, or hide my feelings for you_

_I unapologize._

_Oh, there's no time to be holding it all in,_

_Trying to pretend that I don't feel anything_

_Oh, I shouldn't have said I'm sorry_

_I meant every word_

_Won't take back the way I feel about you_

_I can't unsay what you heard_

_'Cause you heard me right_

_And I won't try to fight 'em back, or hide my feelings for you..._

_I unapologize_

_'Cause you heard me right, yeah_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_I unapologize_

There was no clapping or congratulations when Rachel finished her song. Everyone, including Mr. Schue, just stared in silence, wondering what would happen next.

Rachel held her breath as Puck stood up. As he started walking she was sure he would continue right past her, out of the choir room and out of her life. If there was one thing he didn't do it was feelings. That was rule number one. Rule number two was no PDA. Their relationship hadn't been a secret exactly, but they'd never told anyone- he didn't want to have to explain himself to anyone, and she didn't want to drag him down the social ladder.

So she'd officially just broken both his cardinal rules. She closed her eyes as he got closer, trying to will her tears to go away. He stopped right in front of her, she didn't open her eyes, but she didn't have to, she always knew…

"Rachel."

She finally opened her eyes and looked up at him, but she didn't say anything- she would start sobbing for sure.

Then he kissed her. Not sweetly; deeply and desperately, he fisted his hands in her hair and tried to say everything with the kiss that he couldn't say with words. When the kiss ended he couldn't pull away, he just rested his forehead against hers and waited for her to open her eyes again.

"Noah-" confusion was all over her face.

"I love you too."

That's when the cheering started.


	2. Mama's Song

_I'm gonna change the lyrics in this one up a little bit to fit better, as Rachel doesn't have a mom. Obviously…_

**MAMA'S SONG**

Rachel's dads looked at each other over the table and smiled. Today had been a good day. No, today had been an amazing day. Their baby girl had gotten married today.

* * *

Rachel had been resplendent in her simple white silk wedding gown- an original, the first of Mercedes' wedding dress collection, aptly named 'the Diva Dress'. Her long mass of chocolate colored hair had been curled and held up with a blue ribbon and a few strategically placed pearl combs. Her bouquet of white lilies and roses had been held together with the same blue ribbon and clutched nervously in her right hand.

Quinn Fabray-Hudson had been Rachel's matron of honor. She had looked stunning in her royal blue dress, the silk and lace confection molded to her slightly pregnant (again!) belly and made her absolutely glow. Mercedes Jones and Sarah Puckerman, Puck's younger sister, had rounded out Rachel's side of the wedding party.

Noah 'Puck' Puckerman had stood proud- and mohawkless- at the altar with Finn, Mike Chang, and Artie at his side.

5 year old Libby AKA Elizabeth Puckerman, Puck and Quinn's daughter, had been adorable as the flower girl. The crown of lilies had been askew over her sandy blonde curls and her baby blue dress had been wrinkled, but nobody noticed… And Jackson Schuester, Will and Emma's 2 year old son, had been the ring bearer.

Puck and Finn's moms had cried, as had most of the ladies in attendance. A few men too- although Burt Hummel insisted he was just allergic to all the flowers… But Rachel's dads didn't remember any of that stuff.

Jonathan, the taller of Rachel's dads, her pop, had been on her left side as they walked down the aisle, her left hand clasped tightly in his right. He remembered the look on Noah's face as they slowly made their way toward him. He also remembered the soft sigh Rachel had let escape as the smirking groom winked at her.

Ben, Rachel's daddy, the shorter balding one, had been on her right. Their elbows linked as she had been holding her bouquet with her right hand. The only thought in his mind was that minutes before they started down the aisle his little girl had hugged him just the same as she had when she was 5. When had his baby grown up?

* * *

Now as the food was being cleared away and the speeches were winding down it was time to face facts. Their baby wasn't theirs anymore. She was Mrs. Noah Puckerman. At least that's what Tina, who was deejay for the evening, had said when she announced Noah and Rachel's first dance as husband and wife.

They watched as the two swayed together to _Sweet Caroline_. Rachel was beaming as Noah bent down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Then she swatted his arm with an exasperated "Noah!" as he whispered something in her ear. He laughed and kissed her again, she rolled her eyes.

When the song ended Rachel smiled over at her dads and walked over to the deejay table and said something to Tina, who nodded and handed her a microphone. The music cut out as Rachel cleared her throat. "Hi, everyone. Thanks for coming today, Noah and I are so glad you're all here. Now we're going to do something a little bit unorthodox. I'm not going to dance with my dads, like it's tradition too. I've got a little something prepared for them, which I hope they like. Pop, daddy I love you."

Everyone quieted as the lights turned low and a projection began on the wall behind the head table. It started with some old home videos.

_Jon and a 4 or 5 year old Rachel were chasing each other around the playground. Little Rachel would screech and laugh every time Jon lunged forward and pretended to catch her. Then he would let her run away before chasing after her again…_

_Ben and a 7 year old Rachel dressed as a magician and his apprentice. Then Rachel, decked out in a purple sequined dress, clapped her hands and in her high pitched little girl voice she announced "the Great Benjini!"…_

_Jon asleep on the couch with an infant Rachel asleep on his chest…_

_Jon and a 10 year old Rachel tossing a baseball back and forth in their backyard…_

_Ben and 12 year old Rachel talking excitedly in line at a Broadway musical in New York, the first of many…_

_Ben and 9 year old Rachel doing the dishes, dancing around and singing at the top of their lungs…_

_Both Jon and Ben proudly flanking an awkward looking 13 year old Rachel at her Bat Mitzvah..._

Then the home videos faded into a montage of photos of both Rachel and Puck with their families over the years. Music started in the background and Rachel took a deep breath and began to sing. Looking at Jon, her pop, she started the first verse.

_Papa you taught me to do the right things_

_So now you have to let your baby fly_

_You've given me everything that I will need_

_To make it through this crazy thing called life_

_And I know you watch me grow up and always want what's best for me_

_And I think I found the answer to your prayers_

As she got into the chorus the pictures changed to shots of her and Puck throughout their relationship. From high school right up until the wedding, spanning their entire 6 years together.

_And he is good, so good_

_He treats your little girl like a real man should_

_He is good, so good, he makes promises he keeps_

_No, he's never gonna leave_

_So don't you worry about me_

_Don't you worry about me_

The second verse was directed at Ben, who had taken off his glasses and was crying freely.

_Daddy there's no way you'll ever lose me_

_And giving me away is not goodbye_

_As you watch me walk down to my future,_

_I hope tears of joy are in your eyes_

'_Cause he is good, so good_

_And he treats your little girl like a real man should_

_He is good, so good, he makes promises he keeps_

_No, he's never gonna leave_

_So don't you worry about me_

_Don't you worry about me_

For the last verse Rachel placed a hand on the not yet swell of her belly. She hadn't told anyone yet, except for Emma who, now that she had mellowed out a bit as it was hard to be an uptight germaphobe with an active 2 year old, was really an awesome person to talk to- maybe that was the reason she was a guidance counciler... The two of them were already picking out china patterns for Jackson and the future baby Puckerman.

She looked over at Noah who was standing, frozen in place, with Libby in his arms. When she nodded tearfully at him a huge smile spread across his face.

_And when I watch my little baby grow I'll only want what's best for her_

_And I hope she'll find the answer to my prayers_

_And that she'll say_

_He is good, so good_

_And he treats your little girl like a real man should_

_He is good, so good, he makes promises he keeps_

_No, he's never gonna leave_

_So don't you worry about me_

_Don't you worry about me_

_Daddies don't you worry about me_

_Don't you worry about me_

When the song ended Jon reached across the table and brushed Ben's tears away. The two watched as Puck walked up to Rachel in a daze. He touched a hand to her stomach and looked down at her; Rachel nodded with a small smile on her face and whispered a few words to him. Then she was in his arms, being picked up off the ground and spun in circles. They could hear her laughter over the music, which had started again, as he put her down and they were swarmed by their friends.

Jon laced his fingers with Ben's and smiled at him. Today was a good day.


	3. AllAmerican Girl

**ALL-AMERICAN GIRL**

Noah Puckerman didn't get his life together until he was 19 years old. Rachel Berry, his best friend/friend with benefits/girl he was desperately in love with even though he didn't know it yet, had just graduated high school (with honors) and was heading to OSU. It took some serious nagging, cajoling, and withholding sex, but she managed to convince him to go with her. When he got a response from the university offering him a partial athletic scholarship his mom almost cried.

The first 2 years were good, really good. He enjoyed studying sports medicine and got the full college experience; living in the dorms, sorority parties… Although the one time he screwed around with some other chick Rachel _flipped_ the fuck out and he put an end to that particular college experience rather quickly. With her tight little dancer's body, excellent breath control, and lack of gag reflex Rachel was more than enough for him anyway…

Everything changed his junior year. He blew out his knee. His NFL prospects went down the drain as did the rest of his life. With his dreams shattered Noah turned into a more closed off, alcoholic version of his high school self.

It was Rachel who pulled him out of his depression. She cleaned him up and shifted his focus into teaching. He was determined to become the best damn gym teacher/coach Ohio had ever seen. And, oh yeah, he became determined to make Rachel Berry Rachel Puckerman. His mother begged for a traditional Jewish wedding when he told her.

Senior year was different still, as Rachel and Noah decided they were tired of cramped dorm rooms and crazy roommates and got an apartment together off-campus.

It was a blistering hot day in June when they graduated, she from theater arts and he from kinesiology. He was all ready to start teacher's college in the fall and she'd landed a job as an understudy at a local Columbus theater company. Their future was looking bright.

Though it looked even brighter that blisteringly hot June night when he proposed to her and she accepted. His mom cried and started asking about Jewish grandbabies.

* * *

If you had told Puck, at 18, that he'd be in love, married to Rachel Berry (Puckerman), living back in Lima, Ohio and teaching Phys Ed at WMHS at the age of 25 he'd have laughed and punched you in the face. And if you told him he'd be thinking (hoping) for babies he'd have kicked you in the nuts and slushied you for good measure.

But the truth of the matter was he was. From the minute he and Rachel had said "I do." He'd been thinking about a little boy with his smile and her eyes. A little boy he could take to baseball games and pee wee football. One who'd follow in his footsteps (although he'd manage to get the McKinley High Titans to State).

_Since the day they got married_

_He'd been praying for a little baby boy_

_Someone he could take fishing_

_Throw the football, and be his pride and joy_

_He could already see him holding that trophy_

_Taking his team to state_

When Rachel told him she was pregnant his heart almost exploded in his chest.

"You're sure?" Noah asked, nuzzling his wife's hair.

Rachel nodded, pulling his arms around her so both of their hands rested on her still flat belly. "I went to the doctor's today."

"My mom's gonna cry."

Rachel nodded again, a slight smile curving her lips. "You're calling her."

Noah sighed heavily, then kissed her shoulder blade. "He's gonna be perfect, Rach."

She nodded.

_When the nurse came in with that little pink blanket_

_All those big dreams changed_

_Now he's wrapped around her finger_

_She's the center of his whole world_

_And his heart belongs to that sweet little, beautiful, wonderful, perfect,_

_All-American girl_

They named her Naomi Grace.

She had him wrapped around her finger from the very first moment. She was screaming, red faced, her shock of black hair sticking straight up, and she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life.

_Sixteen short years later_

_She was falling for the senior football star_

_Before you knew it he was dropping passes_

_Skipping practice just to spend more time with her_

Naomi hated that her dad worked at her high school. More, she hated that he was Jonah's football coach.

"Mom! You don't understand! Daddy's evil!" The sixteen year old complained.

Rachel smiled softly as she stroked her eldest daughter's hair. "He just loves you Mimi."

The teenager glared as she lifted her head from her mother's lap. "He doesn't treat Aaron this way! And he caught him making out with a skanky Cheerio under the bleachers! Jonah and I were just kissing. We were in the library for God's sake!"

Aaron was one of Naomi's younger brothers, at just 15 he was following very closely in his father's footsteps. Seth was next at 10 and their baby, Hannah, was 4.

"You're his baby." Rachel shrugged.

"Hannah's his baby." Naomi insisted stubbornly. "I'm 16!"

"I know, love." Rachel soothed, kissing Naomi's temple. "Just give him time. He's not used to you being all grown up. If he doesn't let up soon I'll talk to him."

"Thanks mom." Naomi sighed.

_The coach said, hey son what's your problem_

_Tell me have you lost your mind_

_Daddy said you'll lose your free ride to college_

_Boy, you better tell her goodbye_

_But now, he's wrapped around her finger_

_She's the center of his whole world_

_And his heart belongs to that sweet, little, beautiful, wonderful, perfect,_

_All-American_

Jonah Greenberg was a good kid. He got good grades (he had a 3.6 GPA thank you very much), he was captain and starting quarterback of the McKinley Titans (2 time State champs), he was popular, and his girlfriend was the hottest girl in school. Really his only problem was his aforementioned girlfriend's father.

Naomi Puckerman was everything to him; the tiny, loud, dancing, gorgeous light of his life. But her dad was his football coach and one of the most intimidating men in all of Ohio- maybe even the entire USA, in Jonah's opinion. So the only time they knew they could be together without her dad's interference was during football practice.

That was not working out well.

"Hey!" Noah yelled, spotting his star quarterback standing in front of his daughter's locker. "Jonah, son, what's your problem?"

"Coach?"

Noah ran a hand over his scalp, a habit from high school he'd never gotten rid of; sometimes he was surprised to find he had no Mohawk… "Look Greenberg I know you're dating my daughter," his voice was strained and he wanted to punch something when he uttered that sentence, but Rachel had warned him to be nice, "but you're gonna lose your free ride to college if you keep ditching practice."

"You're gonna kick me off the team?"

Noah shook his head "I'm gonna take you off the starting line up if you don't pull your shit together."

"You want me to break up with Naomi."

"I'm just saying, if you don't get your head on straight things are gonna go downhill for you. If that means saying goodbye to Naomi, so be it."

Jonah looked Noah in the eye "I'm not sure I can do that, Coach."

He walked down the hallway shaking his head. The kid was a goner.

* * *

Naomi and Jonah were married at the same age that Rachel and Noah had been. Noah's mom cried and started talking about Jewish great-grandbabies.

When his eldest daughter announced she was pregnant Noah grinned and started talking about fishing trips and pee wee football.

Jonah shook his head "Sorry coach," he'd never really quit calling Noah that, "it's gonna be a girl. She's gonna be a sweet little perfect thing, just like her mom."

Rachel and Naomi grinned.

_And when they got married and decided to have one of their own_

_She said, be honest, tell me what you want_

_And he said, honey you oughta know_

_A sweet, little, beautiful one just like you_

_I want a beautiful, wonderful, perfect All American_

_Now, he's wrapped around her finger_

_She's the center of his whole world_

_And his heart belongs to that sweet, little, beautiful, wonderful, perfect,_

_All-American girl_

They named her Noelle.


	4. Night Before Life Goes On

_So this one can't be taken word for word as, obviously, Glee takes place in Ohio, not Louisiana, and neither of them smoke, and I took out one of the verses as it didn't really work with the story, but bear with me here… This is part 1 of 2. I know that there is actually a Baxter Park in Lima, but as I'm Canadian and have never been there I'm not sure if there's woods there or not. We'll just call it creative license. Much, much love to those who review!_

**NIGHT BEFORE (LIFE GOES ON)**

_Sittin' up on the roof_

_Sneakin' a smoke by the chimney_

_Checkin' out the moon __and city lights_

_He takes off his flannel shirt and he_

_Drapes it around her shoulders_

_Slides up behind her and holds on tight_

_And she says_

"_I don't want this night to end_

_Why does it have to end?"_

Noah knocked on the Berry's front door and waited for what seemed like forever for someone to answer it. Finally Jonathan Berry, Rachel's dark skinned dad, (the athletic one who liked Puck better) appeared in the doorway. "Hello Noah."

"Hi Mr. B, is Rachel around?"

Jon stepped back, allowing him entrance to the house. "She's upstairs, but she really shouldn't have visitors tonight. There's a lot for her to be doing-"

The hazel eyed jock sighed. "I know, Mr. B. I won't be long, I promise."

Jon nodded "She's probably out on her balcony if she's not in her room, that is."

Puck shook his head as he bounded up the stairs. She wouldn't be on the tiny balcony attached to her room; he knew exactly where she'd be. He barely glanced around his girlfriend's almost empty bedroom as he rushed through it; he knew she wouldn't be in there. He passed through the French doors onto the balcony, hopped onto the railing and then, using his upper body strength, hoisted himself onto the roof. There she was. Exactly where he thought she'd be.

She was perched next to the chimney, her legs pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them, staring up at the dark sky. Seeing her shiver Puck began to undo the buttons of his blue and brown flannel shirt. He pulled off the shirt and as he slid in behind her he draped it around her shoulders.

"Hey baby." He murmured, gently kissing her hair and wrapping his arms around her "What're you doing out here? You should be packing."

"I don't want to go." Rachel confessed, leaning back against him. "I didn't think this night would come and now I don't want it to end."

_Tomorrow she'll be rollin' down I-10_

_Baton Rouge, LSU_

_18 years in her rearview_

_He's got a Friday paycheck lined up_

_Down the block, at daddy's shop_

_It ain't much, but it's a job_

_They've been dreadin' this moment all summer long_

_The night before life goes on_

Puck pressed his cheek into her hair and tightened his arms around her. This was the night he'd been dreading since Rachel had graduated at the beginning of the summer. Tomorrow she was leaving for Julliard. She and her dads had been to New York a couple weeks ago to set up her apartment, but it hadn't seemed real then. Now the moment was here.

If he could have he would have gone with her. He couldn't. He'd been working for Burt Hummel at his garage for over a year now, since he'd graduated, and was one of his top mechanics. He couldn't leave the man who'd given him a chance in a lurch.

And there was Libby; his beautiful, cherubic, almost 2 year old daughter. She, besides Rachel, was the love of his life and everything was here for her. Her grandma and aunt, her grandpas- which Jon and Ben Berry had immediately decided they were- and Quinn- who was sort of like an aunt. The blonde had decided to give up her rights to the little girl, but Puck had wanted her and although Quinn didn't want to be a mother Puck wasn't going to keep her out of his daughter's life.

There was no way he could leave.

_A tear falls off her cheek and_

_Right when it hits his arm he says_

"_Come on baby, let's get out of here"_

_They take one last drive around town_

_And man, it already looks different_

_He bangs the wheel and says_

"_Life ain't fair_

_And this growin' up stuff, man, I don't know_

_I just don't want to let you go."_

Rachel sniffled and tried to hold in her tears, but she couldn't. As soon as the first tear fell and hit Puck's arm he was standing up, holding a hand out to her.

"Come on baby, let's get out of here."

"Where are we going?" She asked, accepting the hand up.

Puck shrugged and tugged on the shirt she'd offered back to him. "I don't know. Let's just go for a drive."

Rachel nodded and the two slowly made their way down the slope of the roof. Puck expertly lowered himself over the edge and dropped lightly onto the balcony, and then he easily caught Rachel as she did the same thing. Lowering her to the floor he grabbed her hand and they silently made their way through her room and down the stairs.

"Rach?" both her dads rounded the corner into the living room when they heard the front door open. "Where're you going?" Ben asked when he saw his daughter and her boyfriend pulling on their shoes.

"We're just going for a drive, dad."

"Don't you have some more packing to do?"

Rachel shook her head sadly. "The only stuff I have left is what I need in the morning. Don't worry," she kissed both her dads' cheeks, "I won't be gone too long."

Jon, taking in the pained look on both Rachel and Noah's faces, just shook his head. "Take your time, Pumpkin. Just remember you're driving to New York tomorrow."

"Thanks pop." Rachel said softly.

Puck directed a strained smile towards his girlfriend's dads before laying a hand on the small of her back and leading her to his truck.

* * *

Rachel tried to hold back tears as they drove around Lima one last time. Through the suburbs, downtown, the diner near the high school where the original glee club members would meet up for breakfast every Sunday… She didn't let a tear escape until they passed WMHS, then they flowed steadily down her cheeks.

Puck finally pulled his truck into his favorite parking spot, in a secluded part of the woods near Baxter Park. He turned off the truck and stared silently through the windshield into the woods. When he turned and saw the tears coursing down Rachel's cheeks as she pressed her forehead against the passenger side window he slammed his hand down on the steering wheel. She jumped when he accidently hit the horn. "Noah?"

"It's not fair!"

"What-"

"This whole thing, life, growing up… Baby, I just don't know..." Rachel undid her seatbelt and slid across the front seat into Noah's arms. He wrapped his them around her and held her as tightly as he could then pressed his cheek into her hair and just breathed in her scent. After a few moments he finally spoke again. "Rach, baby, I don't want you to go. I don't want to let you go."

Rachel turned in his arms and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "I don't want to go either."

Puck smiled wryly "You have to."

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his chest. "I know."

_Tomorrow she'll be rollin' down I-10_

_Baton Rouge, LSU_

_18 years in her rearview_

_He's got a Friday paycheck lined up_

_Down the block, at daddy's shop_

_It ain't much, but it's a job_

_They've been dreadin' this moment all summer long_

_But here it is_

_They don't have long_

_The night before_

_Life goes on_

"Noah?" Rachel looked up at him.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Make love to me before I go?"

"Rachel… There's not much time before I have to get you home…"

"Please?"

Puck groaned and kissed her deeply; pulling her up against him and brushing the thin straps of her sundress off her shoulders and down her arms. She smiled against his lips and began to unbutton his flannel shirt as he slowly unzipped the back of her dress. Soon she was left in just two scraps of black lace. "God," he all but growled as he laid her down on the seat "you're so beautiful."

"Noah…" she gasped as he kissed his way up her thigh, his hands ghosting up her body until they found her breasts. She arched her back allowing him to slip his hands underneath her and unhook her bra. He removed the garment slowly, trailing kisses up her body. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders as her drew first one nipple into his mouth, then the other. She bowed up, pushing herself into him as she breathed his named again.

"I love you." He told her as he kissed her again.

"Love you too," she replied, her fingers fumbling with his belt, "so much."

Finally she had his belt undone and his jeans unzipped, she pulled both his pants and his boxers down past his hips and when she couldn't reach with her hands anymore she dragged them off with her feet. He hissed as she slid a condom down his length and hooking his fingers into the waistband of her panties tugged them slowly down her legs. "So hot…" He murmured as he stroked her.

"Noah," she moaned "please-"

They both sighed with pleasure when he slid into her, heat building as he stroked her toward the edge. She whimpered and then like a wave her orgasm crashed through her. Puck groaned her name as she spasmed around him and let himself follow her into oblivion.

She trembled when he rested his forehead against her shoulder and pressed a gentle kiss to her chest- right above her heart. "I love you." He repeated his claim.

"I love you too."

"Don't forget me in New York."

"Never."


	5. Don't Forget To Remember Me

_So this is the sequel to __Night Before (Life Goes On)__, which I really hope you guys liked. That was the first sex scene I've ever written, even if it was fairly mild. Again I'm taking some artistic license and changing some of the words to fit the story, because again Rachel doesn't have a mom, etc. Enjoy and review!_

**DON'T FORGET TO REMEMBER ME**

_Eighteen years had come and gone_

_For papa they flew by_

_But for me they drug on and on_

_We were loading up that Chevy_

_Both tryin' not to cry_

_Daddy kept on talking_

_Putting off goodbye_

It was early in the morning, only a couple hours since Noah had dropped her off, when Rachel stood in her driveway with her dads. Jon, her pop, was trying desperately to shove the last of her suitcases into the trunk of her Chevy Cobalt, Ben, her daddy, was going on and on about traffic and road conditions, and Rachel herself was just trying not to cry.

"Pop," Rachel smiled tearfully when he swore, again, at the size of her tiny trunk "just put it in the backseat."

"It'll fit." Jon snapped. "I'll make it fit."

Rachel chuckled and laid her head on her daddy's shoulder. "If he breaks my car I'm taking yours."

Ben wrapped his arm around his daughter's waist and rested his head on top of hers. "Noah's not coming by this morning?"

"No," Rachel replied softly "we said our goodbyes last night."

_Then he took my hand and said_

"_Baby, don't forget_

_Before you hit the highway_

_You better stop for gas_

_There's a 50 in the ashtray_

_In case you run short on cash_

_Here's a map and here's a bible_

_If you ever lose your way_

_Just one more thing before you leave_

_Don't forget to remember me"_

Pulling away from his daughter Ben took her hands in his and waited until she was looking him in the eye.

"Daddy?"

"Rach, baby, just a couple things before you go," She nodded as her pop walked up to them and wrapped an arm around her, "don't forget, before you hit the highway that you'd better stop for gas."

Rachel rolled her eyes, he told her that _every_ time she went somewhere. "I know, dad."

"There's a fifty in the ashtray. I put it there, just in case."

"Daddy-"

He let go of her hands and thrust a map and a Torah into them. "In case you lose your way."

Rachel felt her eyes fill with tears as she hugged her fathers. "I love you both so much."

"We love you too, Pumpkin." Jon murmured as he kissed her temple.

After a few minutes Rachel pulled out of the emotional three way embrace. "I better get going. It's a long drive."

"Okay." Ben agreed, his breath hitching in his throat.

The two men walked their daughter to her car and watched silently as she put the map and Torah beside her purse in the passenger seat and settled into the driver's seat. She was just about to pull out of the drive way when Ben tapped on her window. "Dad?"

"Just one more thing before you leave," she looked up at him quizzically, "don't forget… Don't forget to remember me."

"Us." Jon added.

"Never." Rachel swore, repeating the promise she'd made Noah the night before. "I'll call you when I get there."

"We love you, sweetheart."

"Love you too."

They watched, wrapped in each other's arms, until her car rounded the corner and they couldn't see it anymore. She was off.

* * *

_This downtown apartment sure makes me miss home_

_And those bills there on the counter_

_Keep tellin' me I'm on my own_

It was a bright, warm Sunday evening in late September when Rachel made her way down the street towards her apartment. She'd worked a short shift at her part time job at Starbucks, been to dance class, gone to the grocery store and the post office; so far it had been a productive day.

She was loving New York; the noise, the people, her school, her classes… But surprisingly, while she loved New York, she missed Lima that much more. More specifically she was missing the people in Lima.

Balancing her groceries and mail in one hand she unlocked the 3 locks on her door and pushed it open with her hip. "Hi Mrs. McLeod." Rachel smiled at her elderly neighbor as she attempted to back into the apartment.

"Hello, Rachel, dear. No class today?"

"Just dance and I've already finished."

"That's lovely dear." The old lady smiled. "Have a nice day."

"You too." Rachel breathed a sigh of relief when the door shut behind her. Mrs. McLeod was a kindly old woman, but she could talk for hours and Rachel's grocery bags were getting heavier by the minute. She deposited the mail (bills) on the counter, put her groceries away and dragged herself into her tiny living room. She dropped onto her futon and pulled the blanket on the back of it around herself. Tracing her fingers over the faces in a photograph on the end table next to her she smiled sadly.

She shivered as she looked around her apartment and pulled the blanket tighter around herself. She, all of a sudden, felt smaller and more alone than she ever had before, and having had the high school experience she did that was saying a lot. Placing the photo in her lap she grabbed the cordless phone which was also sitting on the table.

_And just like every Sunday I called Noah up last night_

_And even when it's not, I tell him everything's alright_

_Before we hung up I said_

"_Hey Noah, don't forget_

_To tell your baby sister I'll see her in the fall_

_And tell your mom that I miss her_

_Yeah, I should give her a call_

_And make sure you tell Libby that she's still my little girl_

_Yeah, I still feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be_

_Don't forget to remember me"_

"Hello?"

"Noah?"

"Hey baby."

Rachel closed her eyes and smiled, happier just hearing his voice. "Hi."

"Are you okay? Usually you're talking a mile a minute."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Everything's fine." _Just missing you like crazy _she thought to herself. Hearing horns in the background she furrowed her brow. "Where are you?"

He swore "I'm driving actually."

"Noah," she scolded, "you shouldn't talk on the phone while you're driving! You'll get in an accident."

She could practically hear him rolling his eyes. "Really Rach, it's fine; I'm stuck in traffic anyway."

"Traffic? In Lima?"

"Yeah…" he said noncommittally "So what's up?"

"I just… tell Sarah that I'll see her at Thanksgiving, when I come home for fall break and I'll bring that Statue of Liberty keychain she wanted. And tell your mom I miss her and that I'll give her a call this week."

"Okay-"

"And tell Libby… Tell her she's still my baby girl."

"I show her your picture everyday" Puck reassured her, "and I play the lullaby you recorded for her before she goes to bed every night."

"Good." Rachel said softly, staring at the picture of Noah and Libby in her lap.

"Are you sure you're okay, Rach?"

"I'm fine." She sighed. "You know how I feel about school. I just miss you."

"I miss you too, baby. Shit, I gotta go. I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay. Don't forget me?"

"Never." He swore, repeating the promise she'd made to him and her dads before she left.

"I love you."

"Love you too."

Sighing again Rachel put the photo and the phone back on the table. Keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around herself she made her way back into the kitchen to make some dinner.

* * *

_Tonight I find myself kneeling by the bed to pray_

_I haven't done this in a while_

_So I don't know what to say but_

_Lord, I feel so small some times in this big ol' place_

_Yeah I know there are more important things, but_

_Don't forget to remember me_

_Don't forget to remember me_

Later that night Rachel found herself clad in a pair of short shorts and one of Noah's old McKinley High football t-shirts. It didn't smell like him anymore, but for some reason just having the 'Puckerman 20' written across her back made her feel closer to him.

Clutching the Torah her dad had given her before she left for New York Rachel prayed for the first time in a long time. With no sound but the traffic outside her bedroom window and the rattling of the building's furnace she felt a lone tear escape her eye. She just felt… small and alone, forgotten in the shuffle of a huge, crowded city.

She jumped as a knock on her front door startled her back into the present. Wondering who on earth could be at her door at 11 o'clock at night, without even having been buzzed up, she hurried through her apartment.

Her jaw dropped when she opened the door. "Noah?"

"Hey baby," the former jock smirked as he leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe, his bag hanging from one shoulder, "you gonna invite me in?" Rachel stepped back from the door wordlessly. "Nice outfit." Puck leered, appreciating the way his shirt swamped her tiny frame.

The sound of the door slamming shut is what snapped Rachel out of her daze. She launched herself at him, kissing him with all the pent up emotions she'd been feeling for days. "I can't believe you're here! Why are you here?"

"Missed you." He murmured, kissing her again.

"But your job-"

"Took a few days off." He cut her off, dropping his duffle bag onto the floor.

"Libby-"

"Spending the week with her grandma and Aunt Sarah."

"A whole week?" she asked giddily.

Puck nodded and smiled unconsciously as she did. "Now where's the bedroom? I'm exhausted."

"Oh," Rachel said, a little disappointed. She took his hand and led him to her bedroom, "you're right, it's a long drive. We can go to sleep and get an early start tomorrow. I have an afternoon class, but-"

"Whoa," Puck exclaimed "slow down, Speed Racer. Sleep?"

"You said you were exhausted."

He raised an eyebrow as if to say _'have we met before?'_ "I'm never that exhausted, Rach."

She giggled and when she spotted the Torah laying on her bed she silently thanked God for not forgetting her. This is exactly what she'd been praying for.


	6. Wasted

_Alright boys and girls, so here's the first AU in the Carrie-verse. I didn't want to do it to them, honest… Puppies and rainbows for anyone who reviews!_

_PS- special thanks to **mag721**,** laurzz**,** SapphireEJ**, and** Periodic Brilliance **who review every chapter and really... just make life worth living. :)_

**WASTED**

They were next door neighbors. And though they'd never spoken to one another he knew what was going on. He'd seen her through the kitchen window when she thought no one could see her, crying. He'd seen her husband come home and get roaring drunk by 5 PM. He'd seen her at the grocery store with the tell tale bruises she just couldn't hide.

Every time they stood next to each other in the grocery store line they didn't say a word. He knew what was happening to her, what she was going through, he could see it all in her eyes.

There was nothing he could do.

* * *

_Standing at the back door_

_She tried to make it fast_

_One tear hit the hard wood_

_It fell like broken glass_

_She said "sometimes love slips away_

_And you just can't get it back_

_Let's face it"_

_For one split second_

_She almost turned around_

_But that would be like pouring rain drops_

_Back into a cloud_

_So she took another step and said_

"_I see the way out and I'm gonna take it"_

It was a Friday night, Rachel knew she had some time, her husband would be at the bar until closing and after that he'd go home with whatever drunken floozy he could find and stumble home at about 11 o'clock the next morning.

She stood at the back door, her bags in hand, and was surprised to feel a tear slide down her cheek. She watched as the single tear fell and splashed onto the hardwood floor. That's when she wavered.

They'd been in love once, she and her husband. It was years ago now… They got together in high school, her sophomore year and his junior year. They were Finn and Rachel, the perfect couple. Some people had even called them Finchel.

Everything changed the day they were married. Her sweet, sleepy eyed Finn had turned murderous at the sight of her dancing with one of the groomsmen. He left bruises on her arm when he pulled her away.

On their honeymoon she'd walked into their suite only to find him banging a maid. He'd just leered at her and kept pounding away at the Mexican woman. "What are you gonna do about it?"

The first and only time she'd tried to talk to someone about the abuse he'd punched her so hard in the mouth that he'd loosened three of her teeth. "You are _mine_." He'd hissed at her as he ripped of her clothes and fucked her mercilessly. "_Mine_." He'd left her broken and crying on their kitchen floor. 3 days later they'd moved and now there was nowhere she could go.

That was 3 years ago. 3 wasted years she thought. Shaking her head she gathered her strength, clutched the two bags she'd packed until her knuckles were white, and opened the door. It was symbolic she thought. "It was never real, Rachel, this is the way out."

Taking a deep breath she crossed the threshold. The only thing she left of herself was her wedding ring, sitting atop a stack of signed divorce papers.

_I don't wanna spend my life jaded_

_Waiting to wake up one day and find_

_That I let all these years go by_

_Wasted_

* * *

Rachel had never talked to him before, but she'd seen him. Sometimes she watched him through her kitchen window. It seemed that he had something in common with her husband; his best friend's name was Jack Daniels.

There was one thing though, one redeeming quality. In all the times he got drunk- which seemed to be most of the time- he'd never _ever_ raised a hand to his wife. And she'd seen them fight, seen the angry blonde rage and throw things and hit him… He _never_ hit her back.

* * *

_Another glass of whiskey but it still don't kill the pain_

_So he stumbles to the sink and pours it down the drain_

_He said "it's time to be a man and stop living for yesterday_

_Gotta face it"_

Puck didn't think he'd ever loved his wife. He'd wanted her, sure, back in high school when he was the football star and she was the head cheerleader, but he'd never loved her.

He loved their baby though, _God_, he'd loved her. Enough to go through with the shotgun wedding Quinn's father had forced on them. He just wanted to hold that little bundle in his arms, play with her, raise her…

She'd lived for 3 minutes. His heart was broken; it had shriveled up and died the same moment Sarah Anne Fabray-Puckerman had. And he didn't think Quinn had ever had a heart to begin with.

Puck drowned his pain with whiskey. Quinn drowned hers by making his life a living nightmare.

That Friday morning Puck was standing at his kitchen counter staring at an empty bottle and a full glass of Jack Daniels. He happened to look up at the same instant his neighbor did. She was beautiful when she wasn't covered in bruises he thought errantly. They just stared into each others eyes, their pain reflected back at them.

Suddenly she lifted her left hand and slowly took off her wedding ring. Puck smiled tenuously, held up his glass of JD and poured it into the sink. She smiled this time.

Bracing himself against his kitchen counter Puck watched the amber liquid drain out of the sink. "Time to face life, Puck." He told himself. "No more wasting time being wasted."

He packed his bags.

_'Cause I don't wanna spend my life jaded_

_Waiting to wake up one day and find_

_That I let all these years go by_

_Wasted_

_Oh I don't wanna keep on wishing, missing_

_The still of the morning, the color of the night_

_I ain't spending no more time_

_Wasted_

* * *

They met on the sidewalk between their two houses for the first time that Friday night, each with two bags in hand. "Hi."

She looked up at him stoically "Hi." They stared at each other silently for a few minutes "He's going to come after me."

"You got enough evidence to keep him away?" She nodded "Good."

"What about her?"

Puck threw his bags into the backseat of his truck and then, when his hands were empty, he studied his wedding band. Twisting it off, he dropped it into the street. "She'll hardly even notice I'm gone." She nodded again. Puck held up his keys "I haven't had a drink today, but you'd better drive."

She took his keys as he took her bags and tossed them into the truck. "Where are we going?"

He grinned at her. "Wherever we want."

She smiled back and it struck him again how beautiful she was. "I'm Rachel. Rachel Hudson. Berry. Rachel Berry."

"Nice to meet you Berry," he emphasized her last name, liking that it made her eyes light up a little bit, "I'm Noah." Hearing his first name, even from his own lips, was a bit of a shock. No one except his mother called him Noah, and he hadn't spoken to her in years. "Noah Puckerman. Let's get out of here."

* * *

_She kept drivin' along_

_Till the moon and the sun were floating side-by-side_

_He looked in the mirror and his eyes were clear_

_For the first time in a while_

She'd been driving for hours, they'd watched the moon go down and the sun come up, and she still had no idea where they were going. "I don't have any money." She admitted once they crossed the state lines.

Noah waved a hand dismissively "We'll figure it out."

"Where are we going?"

He looked over at her, a slight grin on his face "Where do you want to go?"

She looked over at him "New York."

His grin widened. "Perfect."

_Oh, I don't wanna spend my life jaded_

_Waiting to wake up one day and find_

_That I let all these years go by_

_Wasted_

_Oh I don't wanna keep on wishing, missing_

_The still of the morning, the color of the night_

_I ain't spending no more time_

_Wasted_


End file.
